Kings of Clay Rafael Nadal and Gustavo Kuerten shared a few moments together tonight at the Rio Open. Following Nadal’s easy win over Albert Montanes in the second round, Kuerten, arguably the greatest tennis player ever in Brazil, was honored on the court.

“I have just thought about exchanging a few rallies with him, but I was very emotional and forgot to ask him,” Guga said about Nadal. “It is amazing to be honored in my country. It is a privilege to be embraced by hundreds of people at the same time, a very good sensation, unforgettable. That motivates me to contribute more to tennis, to give back all the affection.”

Said Nadal, “Guga is an example as a person, by his engagement to the sport and his will to fight to come back after injuries. Guga is one of the best players I have seen on clay. A match of us would have been really interesting. He did something very difficult, to be the first in a country to do something (be number 1 in the world, win Roland Garros and the Masters Cup).”

Without his injuries, Guga should have won a 4th RG between 2002 and 2004. And his hc game was growing and a GS final in the USO was a possibility.
Rafa and Gustavo, two of the most charismatic champions of all time!
Parabens!